View Poll Results: Did Mitsubishi screw up on the clutch?
Yes, You screwed the pooch
483
61.69%
No, The clutch is fine.
300
38.31%
Voters: 783. You may not vote on this poll
Did Mitsu screw up on the clutch
Originally posted by ACTman
Simply put, the clutch only wears and gets hot or damaged when it slips. It doesn't matter how much power or rpm the clutch sees once it is engaged (unless the clutch cannot hold the power). You can shift fast or slow but if the clutch is allowed to engage completely before seeing high load (accel or decel) it will last for a long time. The only problem with that thought is that the job of a clutch is to slip in order to make smooth shifts and take offs. The trick is to not let it see too much load during that slip time and keep the slip time brief. For the clutch's sake, the more load (power) the clutch see, the quicker you want the slip time to be, but the harder it becomes on other parts. Of course this is the reason Mitsu. uses a restrictor. Make sense?
Simply put, the clutch only wears and gets hot or damaged when it slips. It doesn't matter how much power or rpm the clutch sees once it is engaged (unless the clutch cannot hold the power). You can shift fast or slow but if the clutch is allowed to engage completely before seeing high load (accel or decel) it will last for a long time. The only problem with that thought is that the job of a clutch is to slip in order to make smooth shifts and take offs. The trick is to not let it see too much load during that slip time and keep the slip time brief. For the clutch's sake, the more load (power) the clutch see, the quicker you want the slip time to be, but the harder it becomes on other parts. Of course this is the reason Mitsu. uses a restrictor. Make sense?
I bet my OEM clutch will last a long time! 
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
OK... I just met with my Mitsubishi District Reporesentative. He flew in from Chicago (to Ohio) just to deny my clutch warantee request. He kept limiteing the conversation to my clutch... He wouldn't even discuss the fact that my clutch peddle has had a funny "catch" to it. When I asked him to depress the clutch and tell me what he felt, he got really pissed and said, "I will not provide an ENGINEERING analysis of the Evolutions" clutch...
He as a real SOB.
Please note: He even knows about a phone call I had made to another dealer about 30 miles away where I had confirmed that they had not been able to get any clutches done under warantee. (I hadn't even given my name)
For what it is worth. He said that Mitsubishi has shipped 4013 Evolutions to date.
Other notes:
He has had "several" clutch warantee claims..
He has denied them all.
He insisted on not putting anything in writing.
He refused to talk about the high clutch failure rate. (I told him 30% and he asked if that included the % of people that professionally race)
Oh well. If you live in Ohio, forget going to the dealer for a clutch... (This guy has asked for pics of the STOCK clutch installed just to make sure I don't do anything that voids my warantee)
He as a real SOB.
Please note: He even knows about a phone call I had made to another dealer about 30 miles away where I had confirmed that they had not been able to get any clutches done under warantee. (I hadn't even given my name)
For what it is worth. He said that Mitsubishi has shipped 4013 Evolutions to date.
Other notes:
He has had "several" clutch warantee claims..
He has denied them all.
He insisted on not putting anything in writing.
He refused to talk about the high clutch failure rate. (I told him 30% and he asked if that included the % of people that professionally race)
Oh well. If you live in Ohio, forget going to the dealer for a clutch... (This guy has asked for pics of the STOCK clutch installed just to make sure I don't do anything that voids my warantee)
Finally got my clutch in. Took the dealer 5 days to get my car all done.
I would definitely recommend the Clutch Masters Stage 3 to anyone. It has really good drivibility, just a bit grabby. I would say that the streetability is better then stock. The pedal pressure feels the same too. I am really impressed. Got mine from RnR Racing. Good price. I will be putting up pics of the stock one soon and making some weight measurements out of curiousity.
I would definitely recommend the Clutch Masters Stage 3 to anyone. It has really good drivibility, just a bit grabby. I would say that the streetability is better then stock. The pedal pressure feels the same too. I am really impressed. Got mine from RnR Racing. Good price. I will be putting up pics of the stock one soon and making some weight measurements out of curiousity.
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
I Wish!
Originally posted by bpclements
Finally got my clutch in. Took the dealer 5 days to get my car all done.
I would definitely recommend the Clutch Masters Stage 3 to anyone. It has really good drivibility, just a bit grabby. I would say that the streetability is better then stock. The pedal pressure feels the same too. I am really impressed. Got mine from RnR Racing. Good price. I will be putting up pics of the stock one soon and making some weight measurements out of curiousity.
Finally got my clutch in. Took the dealer 5 days to get my car all done.
I would definitely recommend the Clutch Masters Stage 3 to anyone. It has really good drivibility, just a bit grabby. I would say that the streetability is better then stock. The pedal pressure feels the same too. I am really impressed. Got mine from RnR Racing. Good price. I will be putting up pics of the stock one soon and making some weight measurements out of curiousity.
The District Mitsu rep told me specifically that if I used any non-OEM clutch that he would void my entire drive train warrantee
If I had my car towed from the dealer and had it done elseware, I better keep the clutch reciept if I wanted any drive train work done under warrantee.
Any clutch installed outside the dealer would void the new clutch warantee.
What get's me so pissed is that this Mitsu rep spent at least $600 denying my claim! ($300 travel, $100 hotel, $200 of his time) They are willing to spend a lot of money to deny these clutch cliams!
And About lawsuite... The dealer told me that this rep flew in for 4 court apearances to fight a thrown piston on a GXS a few years back. Sounds like "small claims here I come. "
Where can I get:
Information about expected clutch life on high performance cars... Maybe WRX, Audi, Porche.
How can I get actual failure rate on Evo Clutches
What else does anyone have that would help support my legal case?
Looks like I am stuck having the dealer finish the job.
WEll, the good news is if I can destroy 2 more stock clutches in the next 10K miles, the car would be considered a lemon by ohio law.....
Anyone want to buy a gently used black Evo?
(By the way, The rep reads this sight)
Re: I Wish!
Originally posted by James Landlord
This sound great BUT:
The District Mitsu rep told me specifically that if I used any non-OEM clutch that he would void my entire drive train warrantee
If I had my car towed from the dealer and had it done elseware, I better keep the clutch reciept if I wanted any drive train work done under warrantee.
Any clutch installed outside the dealer would void the new clutch warantee.
What get's me so pissed is that this Mitsu rep spent at least $600 denying my claim! ($300 travel, $100 hotel, $200 of his time) They are willing to spend a lot of money to deny these clutch cliams!
And About lawsuite... The dealer told me that this rep flew in for 4 court apearances to fight a thrown piston on a GXS a few years back. Sounds like "small claims here I come. "
Where can I get:
Information about expected clutch life on high performance cars... Maybe WRX, Audi, Porche.
How can I get actual failure rate on Evo Clutches
What else does anyone have that would help support my legal case?
Looks like I am stuck having the dealer finish the job.
WEll, the good news is if I can destroy 2 more stock clutches in the next 10K miles, the car would be considered a lemon by ohio law.....
Anyone want to buy a gently used black Evo?
(By the way, The rep reads this sight)
This sound great BUT:
The District Mitsu rep told me specifically that if I used any non-OEM clutch that he would void my entire drive train warrantee
If I had my car towed from the dealer and had it done elseware, I better keep the clutch reciept if I wanted any drive train work done under warrantee.
Any clutch installed outside the dealer would void the new clutch warantee.
What get's me so pissed is that this Mitsu rep spent at least $600 denying my claim! ($300 travel, $100 hotel, $200 of his time) They are willing to spend a lot of money to deny these clutch cliams!
And About lawsuite... The dealer told me that this rep flew in for 4 court apearances to fight a thrown piston on a GXS a few years back. Sounds like "small claims here I come. "
Where can I get:
Information about expected clutch life on high performance cars... Maybe WRX, Audi, Porche.
How can I get actual failure rate on Evo Clutches
What else does anyone have that would help support my legal case?
Looks like I am stuck having the dealer finish the job.
WEll, the good news is if I can destroy 2 more stock clutches in the next 10K miles, the car would be considered a lemon by ohio law.....
Anyone want to buy a gently used black Evo?
(By the way, The rep reads this sight)
Anyway, I would do anything to help you in your case. It would help out all of us. I would provide my used parts for study also.
Speaking of him voiding warranties. I am pretty positive that they can only deny a warranty claim on the drivetrain if they can prove that the aftermarket clutch caused it. If not then you get your warranty claim. I mean if you have basically a stock motor and the motor blows certainly an air intake, upgraded clutch, or turbo back would not cause a head gasket to push. It's just not logical. I have been told it was this way by many service managers from different companies. So what your rep is most likely doing is just trying to scare you. Which is total BS.
Damn...sounds like bad news in the clutch department for the EVOs. I'm glad I haven't raced mine yet, I definately can't afford a new clutch right now. I'll plan on beefing up the clutch before I consider some AutoX racing.
My EVO's got 9100 miles, only probs so far are the brakes - which I think I'm going to have to pay to replace.
My EVO's got 9100 miles, only probs so far are the brakes - which I think I'm going to have to pay to replace.
Re: I Wish!
Originally posted by James Landlord
This sound great BUT:
The District Mitsu rep told me specifically that if I used any non-OEM clutch that he would void my entire drive train warrantee
If I had my car towed from the dealer and had it done elseware, I better keep the clutch reciept if I wanted any drive train work done under warrantee.
Any clutch installed outside the dealer would void the new clutch warantee.
(By the way, The rep reads this sight)
This sound great BUT:
The District Mitsu rep told me specifically that if I used any non-OEM clutch that he would void my entire drive train warrantee
If I had my car towed from the dealer and had it done elseware, I better keep the clutch reciept if I wanted any drive train work done under warrantee.
Any clutch installed outside the dealer would void the new clutch warantee.
(By the way, The rep reads this sight)
The clutch seems to be fine, but I think there are associated problems that cause the clutch to wear out quicker. Imagine if the headlamps were fine, but it caused the housings to crack if you drove with them on all the time, but the lights never burned out. It is that type of situation. If he reads this site, then why doesn't he post on here and tell us why they are having such a negative look on standing behind their products.
That is just my $0.02. Oh, and I was over at Hall Mitsubishi near Va Beach, Virginia a few weeks ago getting the Pit Pass service done on my Evo. There was an Evo in there for a clutch change. I took pictures of his clutch and they look a LOT different than yours. They denied his claim because it had 2400 miles on the car and he told him that he thought it would be fine at the track by doing 5000 rpm drops because of the clutch restrictor that was a factory component. At least that is what the Evo tech told me. It cost him like $3500 for a new disk, flywheel, and pressure plate installed.
I'll post those pictures soon so you all can compare what an abused clutch and a prematurely worn clutch both look like.
Josh
Ok so Remember how I said I would post those pictures? Here they are. Take a look at how they differ from the ones that Mitsu was saying was abused. If I had to guess which one of these was abused, I would go with this one. The other lust looks like improper wear, but possibly not abuse. This disk, plate, and flywheel were taken out of an Evo at 2400 miles.
Enjoy....
Enjoy....